Strategy Analytics found that Apple shipped about 17.7 million phones for the fourth quarter

A new report from Strategy Analytics shows that Apple was the No. 1 phone vendor in the U.S. for Q4 2012.

According to the report, which was conducted by Strategy Analytics' Wireless Device Strategies service, Apple became the No. 1 mobile phone vendor for the first time in the fourth quarter of 2012. It grabbed about 34 percent of the market in that three-month period.

Strategy Analytics found that Apple shipped about 17.7 million phones for the fourth quarter, which was a healthy increase from 12.8 million shipped and 25 percent of the market share in Q4 2011.

The report noted that Samsung, the hardware maker for many popular Android smartphones, was nipping at Apple's heels with 16.8 million mobile phone shipments in the fourth quarter, giving it 32 percent of the market share. This was a nice 5 percent jump for Samsung from Q4 2011.

LG landed in third place with about 4.7 million phone shipments and 9 percent of the market share in Q4.

Mobile phone shipments overall grew 4 percent for the quarter compared to Q4 2011, jumping from 50.2 million to 52 million in the U.S.

Takin doesn't seem like an elitist though. I mean he bashed me for buying Lian Li cases because there were $50 dollar ones "just as good". But when it comes to Android and smartphones, he doesn't seem to place any value in bargain handsets. Nope, unless it's high end, it doesn't count apparently.

I honestly don't get it. I just don't. And he doesn't seem interested in enlightening me. I hate to call him a troll, but at this point....

Ya, he's a different type alright. I am pretty convinced he is just posting to try and prove he is right most of the time as opposed to Tony who is posting on behalf of a company's honor (whatever that means).

"Android devs. make less money per app, and the bulk of Android phones sold are low end".

OK, what of it? Does it affect the high end? Does it affect what high end buyer buy? Does it affect anything other than Apple, Google, and app developers profits? The answer to all that is a resounding no. It's about what we get as consumers, not what the companies get. With Android, you can get the absolute best high end phone. Or a cheap phone that doesn't do too much. Not everyone needs all that. Some people just need a phone and email and rare access to the internet "just in case" they need it while out and about.

All that, and I think they see Android is absolutely exploding. Google is out innovating, out manuevering, and out selling Apple, and the pace is accelerating while Apple's development stagnates. Really IOS 6 may as well be called 2.4 and the biggest improvement to the iPhone lineup since 2007 was the larger screen and 4G. Really Apple? WOW, what innovation.

You are absolutely right. There are benefits and drawbacks of any platform, but consistently, the only important benefits are the ones on Apple's platform. Larger Screens , High res screens, better DPI, Better Edge to Edge display, SD card, Removable batteries, NFC, Mini HDMI, Better Notifications, Faster Voice search, Widgets, Live wallpaper, Multi user support, Multi Window support, and on and on... None of that is important. LOL

We have gone over this many times, and again, I don't slot most of those things you listed as an absolute positive or negative. Every platform is about compromises, so in the end it is all about things that you need or value.

My only real issue is when people immediately write off an iOS device because they don't have things like replaceable batteries or SD card expansion, when that is a direct result of engineering constraints just like it is for similarly small devices like the Amazon Kindle or Nexus 4. Doing this while ignoring its best-in-class hardware performance, battery life, display quality, and huge third party software and hardware support, all while being even smaller than the iPhone 4S.

If those benefits aren't for you then fine, but saying that "SD card expansion" or "micro USB" should supersede all of those positives for everybody is horribly smallminded.

In my case, if I really wanted the best UI then I'd probably be on WP8, not iOS or Android, but then I'd be compromising application selection and hardware. That doesn't mean that WP8 is bad, it isn't, its actually really good. Same with Android, if you need removable components or giant screens then that's the way to go. I myself have pointed some people to devices like the Droid DNA (much easier for me to recommend than the GS3, but I don't care for its build quality and I'm very picky with displays).

I myself like very fast hardware, very long battery life, a polished OS, guaranteed OS/hardware support (even a 2009 iPhone 3GS gets iOS 6), high quality displays (not to mention apps that take advantage of them on tablets), and the best third party developer support, so iOS clearly works well for me.

Obviously it isn't perfect; the iPad needs multi-user support, being able to set default apps would be good (I use both Chrome and Safari for example), etc etc. But again, no platform is perfect.

Other things you mention like HDMI ports are quickly being made redundant with the advent of technologies like AirPlay and Miracast. Its an unnecessary slot that needlessly adds size to the device and will soon go away soon, just like optical drives have been with desktops and laptops over the last several years. Faster voice search is also incorrect as Google's Voice Search app on iOS is actually the best version right now. Giant 5"+ screens are personal preference, and they certainly aren't for me, especially when most Android displays aside from the Droid DNA and a few others are substandard in both pixel arrangement and color profile.

Side note - My biggest criticism of the Android platform is that there aren't any good 4" devices out there. There are no choices there. All of the best Android devices right now are massive. Samsung's Galaxy S3 Mini is a well proportioned and sized device, but it has inferior hardware, a poor camera, a bad display, and good luck with it getting updates as promptly as the flagship models will.

In the end the positives of iOS outweigh the negatives for me, for me, just as the negatives of lower app quality/selection, vendor support, carrier customization, spotty OS updates, and smoothness (up until 4.2) are things that Android users accept in exchange for big screens, SD card slots, removable batteries, etc.

I've said it many times, pros and cons. Its all about compromise, just like with any platform. Don't pretend I haven't said otherwise. :)

quote: I've said it many times, pros and cons. Its all about compromise, just like with any platform. Don't pretend I haven't said otherwise. :)

Yeah you always SAY that, then spend 99% of your time lobbying for Apple while slamming Android. Hello?

quote: My only real issue is when people immediately write off an iOS device because they don't have things like replaceable batteries or SD card expansion, when that is a direct result of engineering constraints

Engineering constraints my ass. The iPhone is a brick. It must be three times thicker than the Razr, for example, and somehow THEY can fit an SD card slot in it.

Apple makes an ungodly profit margin on memory "upgrade" models, that's why SD cards will never be on the iPhone. Why offer SD support when millions of people pay hundreds of dollars more for what amounts to $20 worth of extra memory?

quote: Other things you mention like HDMI ports are quickly being made redundant with the advent of technologies like AirPlay and Miracast. Its an unnecessary slot that needlessly adds size to the device and will soon go away soon

Here we go again. Marginalize every plus with wacky Steve Jobs logic. Because Apple is your god, and if they say you don't need something while always paying MORE for less features, you believe it.

HDMI soon going away? And you're basing this on what exactly?

Silly me, I wasn't aware that 100% of all AVR receivers and televisions out there were Airplay and Miraplay compatible!!

Are you seriously not understanding the advantages of having an HDMI cable slot, which is 100% reliable and doesn't need wireless to be up and running?

quote: In the end the positives of iOS outweigh the negatives for me

That's because you take any positives of Android, and dismiss them utterly and completely. Then take any negatives on Apple's part, and couch them as something else. You're incapable of objectively weighing pros and cons.

I cannot even describe how useful it's been having a big SD card in my phone all these years. I used to carry around those USB thumb drives (people do that, you know?). But to you, oh well, Apple doesn't need that so it's not a big deal. Just..lol.

quote: If those benefits aren't for you then fine, but saying that "SD card expansion" or "micro USB" should supersede all of those positives for everybody is horribly smallminded.

Except for a lot of people, and I'm talking millions here, that is something called a "deal-breaker" . For me the iPhone is a non-starter based on that alone.

I don't think someone who claims HDMI is "going away soon" and who discounts removable storage can get away with calling others "small minded". Seriously, look in a mirror.

Why is it that everytime there is a article on this website that is pro Apple we see all the Apple bashing. I have both an Android phone, and an Apple, and each has it's advantages, and disadvantages, but neither are by far close to being all things for all people. I could sit here and tell you the problems with each OS, but that seems to me to be very redundant. Apple will continue to have a large share of the market becuase it markets its devices to a particular segment of the market, Makers of Android devuices will do the same, but niether OS, or device, will ever meet needs of all users. So congratulations Apple this quarter your on top, next quarter it will be someone else!

quote: Side note - My biggest criticism of the Android platform is that there aren't any good 4" devices out there.

Well knowing your disdain for Android, I doubt any of these would be "good" for you. However I would say check out:

1 Droid Razr M2 Pantech Burst3 Samsung Galaxy Victory4 HTC One V

I don't know if these are "high end" enough for you. But in my opinion the most underrated Android handset line are the Motorola RAZR's. Fantastic phones imo in form, function and battery life. Haven't personally tried the M though.

"We have gone over this many times, and again, I don't slot most of those things you listed as an absolute positive or negative. Every platform is about compromises, so in the end it is all about things that you need or value."

True dat.

"My only real issue is when people immediately write off an iOS device because they don't have things like replaceable batteries or SD card expansion"

If those are on your list of needs, then its written off. Ther eis only one model of iPhone, so, you're SOL.

"Other things you mention like HDMI ports are quickly being made redundant with the advent of technologies like AirPlay and Miracast."

Totally disagree. Airplay requires Apple TV. Anything else requires a wireless capable TV at the least. A Mini HDMI port can plug into Any TV, anywhere, any time without any configuration required. It's HDMI. I agree its about choices, but you tend to write off all choices but your own... Then later retract and act as if you don't.

"Side note - My biggest criticism of the Android platform is that there aren't any good 4" devices out there. There are no choices there."

What are you smoking. The Razr M is smaller than the iPhone 5 with a bigger screen thank to the iPhone giant bloated bezel.

"In the end the positives of iOS outweigh the negatives for me, for me,"

Agreed. And you do always say that.... AFTER being called on your 18 previous posts NOT saying it acting as if your phone is the end all be all. But whatever. I think we agree on most points when you are in "clarification mode". ;)

I've always said "for me", either explicitly or implicitly. I like fast, well made hardware with a smooth and polished OS that runs the best applications. Saying anything positive about an iOS device, even when objectively true, is a cause for jimmy rustling here but that's a strange problem that other people have. I don't see the big deal.

Again, that's the end all be all for me. I don't see the big deal when backing up my reasons with objective stats is true. I don't even get into personal anecdotes with these things, I know that gets fanboys angry. :)

The only importance of marketshare to me is how it affects third party support of a platform. This applies to operating systems, game consoles, ecosystems like Steam or Amazon Kindle (Steam and Kindle both have massive libraries so I use them despite their very restrictive DRM), and so on.

This is why usage matters to me. If iOS, despite having 1/5 of Android's market, makes up the majority of mobile traffic, app downloads, and mobile ad revenue, that means it will also have stronger third party support. That directly impacts the things I value in a platform. I wouldn't have a Kindle if it only had one or two publishers, you know?

Yes too bad that to the rest of the world, it means something else entirely.

quote: This is why usage matters to me.

Of course. Because how millions of faceless people you don't know use their device matters to you I'm sure. It has nothing to do with the fact that it's a statistic that, in your mind, counters the market share argument.

You know maybe there are tons of people out there who want a smartphone, but you know, aren't super addicted to texting, surfing and buying apps all day every day. For arguments sake lets call this group of people "adults". Now it seems to me that Android would be the perfect solution for this group of people.

quote: Otherwise I couldn't care less about marketshare.

Well unless it favors Apple. Then you care a lot for it.

And since I actually have a life, I'm not going to waste my time digging up 3 year old posts like you have to make an argument. But I bet money you've use marketshare in the past to make pro-Apple points. But now, hey, you couldn't care less lol. How rich.

"You know maybe there are tons of people out there who want a smartphone, but you know, aren't super addicted to texting, surfing and buying apps all day every day. For arguments sake lets call this group of people "adults" "

quote: Because how millions of faceless people you don't know use their device matters to you I'm sure.

Of course it does. It matters to me that Windows is a popular gaming platform, otherwise I'd play games on whatever else developers support.

This isn't rocket science.

quote: Re: Marketshare.

Well unless it favors Apple. Then you care a lot for it.

The PC gaming market is a small fraction of the console market. I don't care, honestly, because I prefer PC games to console games. Again, raw marketshare doesn't matter, just that there is enough of an audience to support whatever ecosystem I prefer.

quote: You know maybe there are tons of people out there who want a smartphone, but you know, aren't super addicted to texting, surfing and buying apps all day every day. For arguments sake lets call this group of people "adults". Now it seems to me that Android would be the perfect solution for this group of people.

If you aren't going to use applications or the internet on your smartphone, why not just get a flip phone instead?

It seems like you're wasting a bunch of money on an Android smartphone that never gets used the way that a portable computer should be.

Is bragging about using applications and the internet LESS an actual defense now? Wow.

quote: It's about what we get as consumers, not what the companies get.

But those things directly affect consumers. I use desktop operating systems with lots of developers making a broad range of applications. Its the same with my phones and tablets.

As a consumer I use platforms with excellent hardware and broad third party support. They always happen to be ones that are profitable while being easy to develop for. What I as a consumer get is the direct result of what developers benefit from, and iOS continues to lead in areas of power usage and profitability by a wide margin. Their users on average use and demand more, and developers are there to fill that demand.

Remember what Ballmer said, "Developers Developers Developers!!!". Developers make or break any platform. All of those things like ease of development and distribution and usage and profitability trickle down to the end-user experience.

So of course it is important.

And if you don't use applications on tablets or phones, that's cool too. If you do less with your hardware then there are other platforms out there. Android is incredibly versatile and it covers everything from the GS3 to a crappy phone for your grandmother.

A cheap/free Android device that doesn't do much has been perfect for hundreds of millions of people. It isn't a type product I'm interested in, and it doesn't incentivize development like a higher percentage of "real" smartphones would, but I don't fault anyone for not needing much out of their devices either. Hell, there are millions who barely use their desktop computers. Not everyone is a power user and that's totally fine.

LMAO yeah and what the fuck does Ballmer know about running a successful mobile platform again? All he knows about developers is that they rejected Windows Phone 7. He had to pay them to even look at Windows Phone 7.5. And they're dragging ass on Windows 8.

Its sad that having fingers in numerous (and in fanboy terms, "opposing") platforms is "different". Really weird. :)

quote: Really IOS 6 may as well be called 2.4 and the biggest improvement to the iPhone lineup since 2007 was the larger screen and 4G. Really Apple? WOW, what innovation.

I've been on every OS update since 1.0. The move from 2.0 to 4.0 alone was substantial. Everything since then has been mostly under-the-hood optimizations and tightening, but we'll see if they add anything new and obvious with iOS7.

OS X updates were also slow and considered, but almost always right. The alternative is the "see what sticks" method Microsoft took with Windows 8 and Office.

Judging an OS only based on the front-end UI is a little weird btw, especially when its usability and polish is still very good. The Windows 7 UI is fundamentally the same as the Windows 95 UI, but you wouldn't call it the same OS under the hood, would you? A mature UI and fundamentally sound UI design don't need rapid improvement. It isn't the same as dealing with something as broken as Android was only one year ago, an OS that desperately needed to catch up in basic areas like stability, smoothness, UI consistency, and responsiveness.

quote: Really IOS 6 may as well be called 2.4 and the biggest improvement to the iPhone lineup since 2007 was the larger screen and 4G. Really Apple? WOW, what innovation.

I'd call the 2010 retina display a pretty good innovation. I'd also call the iPhone 5's ridiculously fast hardware and double the LTE/wifi browse time (8+ hours!) of a GS3 to be pretty good as well, all while being so much smaller.

You're better than taking lame potshots dude, you have to at least give it up for their hardware just a little. :)

It was in reference to your vigorous and un-ending need to defend the Apple platform, I specifically mentioned how I dont think its that you are a fanboy, you are just trying to prove your are right. "I am pretty convinced he is just posting to try and prove he is right most of the time as opposed to Tony who is posting on behalf of a company's honor "

"Judging an OS only based on the front-end UI is a little weird btw, especially when its usability and polish is still very good. "

That is one of many things it is missing. If it were a budget line, fine, but its missing SOOO MANY THINGS for a high end phone.

"I'd call the 2010 retina display a pretty good innovation"

Putting a higher res LCD (or faster GPU) is not an innovation, its a product design decision. I give it to you that it was a great decision, and I with more companies had brass balls like Apple to make decisions like that more often. But it's also been years since "retina" was introduced and now the competition has not only higher res models with higher DPU, but they do it in larger screens as well.

"You're better than taking lame potshots dude, you have to at least give it up for their hardware just a little. "

I do. I have said before the iPhone's size/speed/battery ratio is really impressive. And if I was in hte market for a small screen smartphone with lower res and DPI than its competiton that had many missing features and costs the same as other high end phones hte iPhone 5 would be on my list for sure... Now that wasnt a "lame potshot", that was a great potshot, with heavy sarcasm laid in for good measure.

LOL... But seriously, if Apple released this rumored iPhone math with a larger screen with higher res and at least an SD card I would seriously consider it. A next gen iPad mini with retina looks good to me too if they make it.

quote: But when it comes to Android and smartphones, he doesn't seem to place any value in bargain handsets.

In context the discussion is usually, "Android is outselling the iPhone 5:1, ergo the flagship Samsung devices are clearly outselling it".

FUD and inaccuracy are pretty much all that really annoy me. I have my foot in multiple platforms and they all have something good about them for someone. When reality as shown by hard metrics point the other way then I'll point it out, that's all.

If quasi-flip phones are something to get excited about then I retract my statements.

Talk about FUD. Android is beating iOS in smartphones . Notice I said Android not Samsung, but moving on. Flip-phones are not even in the picture.

This is just you defending your own ego because, for some reason, it just irks you to the core that people are choosing Android over iOS 5:1. For WHATEVER reason.

So you cook up some lame argument where that magically doesn't count somehow, because they aren't ALL top end devices. Like who gives a shit?

Seriously you pull this "I have my foot in multiple platforms" crap, but it's kind of hard to not see right through you. You aren't exactly hiding your feelings about Android very well. When you claim millions of people just magically don't even count because they don't share your opinions on what phone is "the best".

I guess in your perfect world we would all have clothes from the top designers in Paris, drive only exotic vehicles from Italy and Europe, take private jets everywhere and only have the most expensive in everything. And if anyone chose not to follow suit, well, we just all sneer at that!

How do you measure that and why does your measurement of choice after? Serious question, I would genuinely like to know what you think should be used to measure relative platform success and why it matters.

I don't measure that Tony. There are people who get paid to do that for me, and know far more about this than I do. And they tell us that Android has outsold Apple in "smartphones" for every year since 2011 I believe.

And I don't think it matters really. It's you and Takin who are going down this elitist path about all these immaterial metrics and qualifiers. Takin even went as far as to say we can't use IDC data because, well, the numbers basically don't make Apple look that great. So obviously they don't count either lol.

Give it up he's a complete tool that no one gives a s*** about or even listens too.....he's completely tech illiterate, he was most likely (based on his comments) some sort of middle management who surrounded himself with yes men, so he thinks his pathetic attempts of what he believes are fact are accurate because his yes men would agree with him or he'd probably terminate them for insubordination, he posts on multiple sites and he is known as a laughing stock on all of them....

quote: I don't measure that Tony. There are people who get paid to do that for me, and know far more about this than I do. And they tell us that Android has outsold Apple in "smartphones" for every year since 2011 I believe.

I think there have been a misunderstanding. What I meant is how do you measure whether Android is beating iOS in smartphones? The reason I asked was to see if yet again what was meant by 'beating' was market share. It turns out it is.

As I have argued before it seems that, unlike in the PC market, in the mobile device markets market share is a very poor proxy measurement of platform success. In the PC market Wintel PCs and Macs each had about the same network effect as each other, each Wintel PC or Mac per capita leveraged about the same value into their respective ecosystems which in turn meant market share was a very good proxy indicator of platform success.

In the PC markets market share and platform success were so linked that many observers actually came to think that they were the same thing and now look at market share in the mobile device markets and mistakenly equate it with winning.

A platform succeeds if developers and service providers find it the most profitable to supply an increasing quantity and quality of software and services to run on that platform. They will only do this when the platform users are active purchasers of the offerings. Simply put, developers and service providers must prosper financially to add value to the platform. What's so striking about the mobile device markets is the very large disparity between iOS and Android when it comes to monetisation rates (which can measured using a wide range of common sense metrics measured in various reliable ways). iOS has clearly much better monetisation rates than Android and we are not talking about a few percentage points of difference here, we are talking about often several orders of magnitude.

When market share is abandoned as an inaccurate proxy measure of platform commercial success it is abundantly clear that iOS is by the most successful mobile platform, Android doesn't even come close to the value and revenues created and flowing in the iOS ecosystem.

If I was a fan of Android that would worry me. Being a fan of Apple and iOS it please me. Either way talk of Android winning based on market share is a painfully misplaced. Many people appear to watching the wrong thing..

Surely you see that most of that is due to Apple having a 4 year headstart... Now that Android has caught up and is dramatically outselling IOS, it will swing toward Android. The only players that should worry is MS and Rimm.

Is it just a question of a head start? That seems implausible given the fact that Android has been outselling iOS fr a couple of years now and it's installed base is large and yet iOS continues to out perform by a very a very large margin on any etruc if platform usuage and monetisation you can measure. Somthing more profoud and significant is happening.

If you'd like to think so, go ahead... Dont count Android out like you did Windows 20 years ago. Open and cheap will always win over closed and expensive. That and its early in the game, there are years and years to go in this... fortunately there are 2 major players unlike MS alone so competition can drive things, instead of monopolies

"This is just you defending your own ego because, for some reason, it just irks you to the core that people are choosing Android over iOS 5:1. For WHATEVER reason"

Ding ding ding ding... We have a winner. He just can't seem to accept that 5 of 6 people choose Android so he needs to belittle it at every chance with paragraph after paragraph of his own skewed perspective. I agree taken, t iPhone is the best phone for you. Now leave the rest of us alone and enjoy your phone. We can have our vastly superior feature SRT and screens and you van have your GPU and non update updates. Peace for us all

I don't care that Android is selling 5:1, as I said many times, I think its great, but these aren't high end products here.

Say that you're proud that the bulk of growth in Android sales are in low end featurephones and dumbphones being sold and I'll back off. I don't care about the low end market and I didn't think anyone else here did, but if you truly are psyched about the high sales of low end devices then I'll stop.

Like, talking about Android outselling iOS 5:1 and not even taking inverted practical usage metrics of a similarly extreme ratio into account says everything about how little thought you actually put into things.